A Tale of Light And Dark
by Rogue Darth Skywalker
Summary: Darth Vader is the heir to the Empire. When Senator Amidala catches his eye, he has to have her and no one will get in his way. Meanwhile, the remnants of the Jedi Order have found new hope in someone they think could be the Chosen One.
1. Chapter 1

**This just popped into my head and I couldn't not write it down. How many in-progress stories is this now? I don't even know anymore.**

* * *

Chapter 1

The grand celebration of the twenty-fifth year of peace under the Empire was a glorious celebration with beings from all across the galaxy gathering on planetary capitals to join in the festivities and to watch the holo news coverage of the Imperial Ball being held on Coruscant, the center of the Imperial Government. Emperor Palpatine spared no expense for the lavish and momentous occasion. Every Senator, every Moff and Governor and everyone of any significance was in attendance, and Palpatine wanted to remind them it was by his hand that such peace and prosperity was possible. At his side throughout the night, was his son and heir. Darth Vader was far from the politician Palpatine had been in his youth. Vader was more of a man of action, a man whose mere presence commanded respect. Palpatine had raised him from the day he was born to rule the galaxy one day and while that day might be far off, Vader had already proven himself to be a capable leader, at least when it came to military affairs.

Unbeknown to most, pockets of disgruntled citizens had been popping up every now and then in attempts to cause chaos to the Empire. Not wanting word of such things to spread or make their way to the wrong people, the Emperor entrusted such problems to his son. Vader always took care of these rebels with… swift and merciless care. It pleased the Emperor and Vader seemed to enjoy it as well. Though recently, the attempts at chaos had become emboldened. It started to make him think that there was more to these attacks than normal, perhaps even supported by an important figure. He had his suspicions that if there were any figures who might be foolish enough to put their trust in an unorganized rebellion, they would be in the Senate. In an effort to ensure more power lies with the seat of the Emperor, he had taken actions to remove some of the Senate's power. He had been doing this for years but now, more and more there were whispers of dissatisfaction from Senators over these changes. It stood to reason that one of these Senators had put their faith in the rebels.

And what better way to lure them out, than the Imperial Ball? Palpatine sat on his throne overlooking the dancing and the mingling of his guests. Vader stood rigidly by his side, his arms folded behind his back as he watched with a bored expression on his face. "Tell me what is on your mind, my boy," Palpatine said, glancing up at his son.

"Nothing, father." He said.

"Don't tell me 'nothing'. I can sense your discomfort."

Vader heaved a sigh as he looked out across the ballroom. "I shouldn't be here."

"You're my heir. You are exactly where you should be."

"Where I should be is on the Executor tracking down the leader of these insurgents."

Palpatine raised a brow as he looked back at his guests, nodding towards one of the Moffs who greeted him with an exaggerated bow, "And what makes you think they aren't here now?" He asked Vader. "Remember what I taught you. Everyone who has power is afraid to lose it. And who has more to lose than the people in this room?"

"I'll need proof."

Palpatine scoffed, "All the more reason for you to be here then." His head turned towards one of the red guards standing to the side. With a wave of his hand, the guard obeyed the silent summons and approached the throne. In one hand the guard carried an electrostaff, the traditional weapon of the guards entrusted with the Emperor's life. In the other, he held a datachip which he held out for the Emperor to take. Palpatine took it without a word and passed it to Vader. "This is all the proof you need tonight." He said. "Do what must be done, my son."

Vader bowed his head as he glanced at the information on the chip. Mon Mothma. The Senator from Chandrila. She had made a foolish mistake by intentionally altering the manifests on several of the shipments leaving Chandrila. Fortunately for him, the Empire had intercepted three of them which happened to be carrying the same weapons the rebels who attempted to bomb the shipyards had been armed with. This was just enough information, enough proof taken directly from the Senator's private comlink to prove her involvement in terrorist activities. Vader's eyes glowed yellow as he gripped the datachip in his hand. His eyes searched through the large crowed to find his prey, his senses stretching out in the Force to track her down. It wasn't hard to find her. She stood with a group of fellow senators. He couldn't make out what was being said, but he didn't care. Determined to make it known that she was conspiring against the Empire, Vader gestured for a squad of white armored stormtroopers to his side. The sight of the guards as well as the glare of the heir to the Empire leading them, had an immediate effect on the party as the festivities stopped, curious to this unprecedented interruption.

Mon Mothma's eyes widened as he neared, her eyes looking for some support from her colleges but receiving none. To her credit, she held her head high as he approached and bowed low to him when he came to stand before her. "Lord Vader," She greeted, playing the loyal subject.

"Senator, you nearly had us all fooled," He said, smirking as he held up the datachip, "You who are intent to corrupt the integrity of this Empire, you who conspires against her own people—"

"I have done no such thing!"

"Silence!" Vader struck her face and watched as she crumpled to the ground, cupping her cheek where he had slapped her with the back of his hand, "You have committed treason against the Empire. You have plotted to hinder the Imperial Navy which is charged with enforcing order in the galaxy. Your selfish ambition has put thousands of lives needlessly at risk. And for that, you will be punished!"

The stormtroopers moved quickly, hoisting her to her feet as she struggled to try and free herself. Vader turned to the crowd which had slowly gathered around them, watching from a safe distance. "Let this be a lesson to everyone! Treason will not be tolerated!" His hand grabbed down at his belt where his lightsaber hung. With a snap-hiss, the crimson blade ignited, the red hue reflecting off his face as he turned back to Mon Mothma.

"Wait!"

His head turned sharply to the side where a woman pushed passed the Senator from Alderaan. Her brown hair was held up by an elegant headpiece of gold, and she wore a slimming black dress held up by a single strap over her shoulder. Without speaking even a word, her eyes pleaded for mercy yet reflected a determination few dared to show in his presence. Her head bowed as she dipped before him, "Please, Lord Vader," She said, "Is bloodshed really necessary on this day? This is supposed to be a day commemorating the Empire. Why not show mercy on this day and let her live?"

"She is a traitor," Vader argued, "Are you suggesting that treason not be punished?"

"Of course not!" She said, "I merely wish for a day celebrating peace not to end with bloodshed. If she must die, do so tomorrow. Please don't spoil this day. Instead, spend it celebrating the glory of the Empire." Murmurs of agreement could be heard in the crowd, though no others dared to speak up.

Vader looked at her, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the way she carried herself. She spoke like a Senator and yet she looked so young. His eyes glanced back at Mon Mothma, her eyes staring at the lightsaber still in his hand. "Take her to the detention block," He commanded, deactivating the lightsaber and returning it to his belt. "I want guards on her at all times. I will deal with her personally in the morning." Without a word, the stormtroopers dragged the disgraced Senator from the ballroom as the crowd dispersed and the party continued as if the whole thing never happened.

Vader met the eyes of the woman who challenged him and his lips curled into a smirk as he closed the distance between them. "That was very brave of you," He commented.

"Someone had to say something," She said with a shrug.

"I don't think I need to introduce myself—"

"Your reputation precedes you, Lord Vader."

He smiled as he held out his hand to her. "I have yet to know your name though, milady."

"I am the Senator of Naboo, Padme Amidala," She said, taking his hand.

His eyes widened as he finally realized who she was, "The Queen who put down the Trade Federation's attempt at a coup," He said.

"I see my reputation also precede me."

"I was there when you made your plea for help to the Senate. And to hear only hours after it was denied you had left the safety of the capital to fight… I was impressed."

Padme smiled at him, "Thank you, my Lord."

"How long are you on the capital for?"

She sighed, "Only a day or two," She said, "There are things I must take care of back home."

The smile on his face dropped as he folded his arms behind his back," I see… I hope it isn't too forward of me to ask you to stay." Her eyes left his as she glanced behind him and noticed the two stormtroopers coming to flank him. His request was more of an order.

* * *

Dagobah was far from an ideal place to live but after the fall of the Jedi Order, the keepers of peace in the Old Republic, Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda had little choice but to make it their home. It was the only place where the Empire could not find them, the only place where they could search through the Force to find meaning in their exile. For the past few years, the Force had whispered to them, telling them that the time was almost near. The oppression of the Dark Side would end soon. But wait… wait… the path would show itself only when it was time. wait… wait… Obi-Wan liked to consider himself patient, but waiting for over twenty years was getting too long even for him. And with Yoda seeming to be on the verge of madness, he couldn't help but wonder if he would go mad too.

"Good day, it is," The little green Jedi Master said with a chuckle "Bright, the Suns are."

Obi-Wan looked up at the canopy of dense swamp foliage and frowned, "You can't see the Sun," He said, "We haven't seen it in weeks!"

"Ah, so blind, Obi-Wan is. Seen the light, I have, but not the light on Dagobah. Light in the Force I have seen." Yoda smiled as he tapped his Gimer stick on the crooked branch he perched himself on. "Dark today, yes. But light enough it will be soon!"

Obi-Wan sighed as he sat on an overturned log, "Master, I don't understand…"

"Fly into the Suns, we must! Fly," The old Jedi hopped down from his perch and hobbled deeper into the swamp.

"Master— Yoda!" With a groan, the human Jedi rose to his feet and followed. This wasn't the first time the Master had led him on some wild hunt. At over 900 years-old, Yoda had proved to be a stubborn leader and even worse roommate. The short green Jedi simply did as he pleased, uncaring about how crazy any of it was, always seeming to have a reason for it yet no matter how good the reason, it was a rather annoying trait.

Deeper and deeper into the swamp they went until they reached the remains of the ship they had stollen to escape here in. Yoda smiled as he raised an old three-fingered hand and used the Force to carefully free the ship of the vegetation that had overwhelmed it. "Fly into the Suns," He said again, walking towards the entrance and pulling the hatch open and walking in. It was questionable if the ship would even take flight after so long, but Yoda seemed to be determined to go somewhere. Obi-Wan just hoped it wouldn't kill them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Padme paced the large expanse of the bedroom she had been given. By the time the party ended, and Vader personally escorted her to the room, she had found the closet already filled with expensive gowns and outfits already fitted exactly to her figure. A simple floor length nightgown had already been laid out on the bed by a golden protocol droid who merely bowed at her entrance before departing, leaving her alone in a glorified prison cell. Padme checked every inch of the room, looking for cameras, microphones— anything that might pick up something she doesn't want to be found. Much to her surprise, she found none, leaving her suspicious that he might already have something to use against her. It wasn't likely she would find out before he was ready though, and so with nothing else to do until then, she decided to take a shower to try and relax, if only for a few minutes.

She thought about Mon Mothma and the fate that would await her in the morning. The Senator was a fierce fighter for democracy, and her loss would hit their efforts hard. But there was nothing she or anyone could do. She knew Bail Organa of Alderaan was probably in talks with some of the cells based on Coruscant, in an effort to get them to act. But the odds they would do something, was slim as no one has yet to ever break out of an Imperial prison on the capital world. Padme shook her head as warm water trickled down her face. She couldn't be thinking about this. She had bigger problems. Vader.

She wasn't blind to the way he looked at her. She wasn't foolish to deny his request when she spotted the stormtroopers who would ensure she accepted. But she did wonder how long she would hold his interest. It wasn't a secret that the young heir to the Empire would have one or two women join him in bed when they caught his eye. It wasn't a secret that all of them would eventually be dismissed. What she didn't know was how long she would have his unwanted attention. Padme finished her shower and dressed in the nightgown that had been left for her and started to brush her hair at the vanity decorated with gold filigree. As much as the idea sickened her, she knew that her best chance of survival was to simply do what he asked of her. In addition, if she held his interest enough, perhaps she could even manage to get information out of him— information that might be useful to the Rebellion.

A knock at her door had her pulling a robe on quickly, "Just a moment!" She called, tying the sash around her waist as she walked to answer it. "Lord Vader," Her bead bowed as she greeted him.

"Milady," He returned. No longer dressed in his formal blacks, he now wore a loose fitting black shirt and pants with knee-high black boots, his lightsaber clipped to his belt. "I just wanted to check if you were comfortable," He said.

Padme smiled, "I am, thank you. I wasn't expecting such a welcome and at such short notice."

"Anything is possible for the Imperial heir," He shrugged. "I also wanted to thank you." Her brow rose in surprise as he continued. "I've thought about your suggestion regarding Mon Mothma. Keeping me from killing her in the moment has provided an amazing opportunity." His smile grew as he stared at her, "Tomorrow, not only will her execution be public, but I've decided to use it as a public demonstration of what happens to traitors. I've already made the arrangements. Across the Empire, public executions of suspected traitors will be carried out. The holonews will be broadcasting all of them over the course of twenty-four hours."

Her shoulders tensed as he spoke, a flash of anger surging through her as he swelled with pride and excitement at the prospect of the death of potentially thousands of beings across the galaxy, many of which probably had nothing to do with the Rebellion. "That's… wonderful!" She breathed, masking her true feelings as best she could. "What… what about the Emperor?"

"I already mentioned it to him. He fully approves." Vader took her hand in his, "I'd love for you to attend with me."

Padme forced a tight smile, "I'd be honored, My Lord."

Vader raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, "I'll see you in the morning then," He said before taking his leave.

Once he was gone, she resisted blaming the door shut as she closed it. Slowly, she made her way to the bed as she took a shaking breath. Guilt racked her as she sat down. This was her fault. If she hadn't said anything, if she'd let Vader kill Mon, then so many people would live…" Padme fisted the heavy duvet cover on the bed, her shoulders shaking slightly as tears freely started to fall. She wanted to wake up and find that all of this was a dream… but she knew she wouldn't. Curling into a ball, she laid her head on the pillow, forcing herself to sleep.

* * *

Obi-Wan wasn't happy with the condition of the ship he was flying. He'd tried to convince the older Jedi Master at his side that they should stop for repairs, but Yoda wouldn't listen. "Continue, we must," He'd say, "Find we must, the planet with the second Sun."

A planet with two suns… that at least narrowed down the search, however there were still quite a few binary systems and Yoda's directions weren't very helpful. "Strong the will of the Force is. Follow we must. For the sun to rise, help we must." Obi-Wan shook his head as he continued to pilot the ship. He didn't even know where they were going and with the ship groaning as often as it was, he worried it was only a matter of time before they blew up. Every quadrant, he would slowly ease them out of hyperspace and scan the nearby systems in search of whatever Yoda was looking for. He'd already done this four times with little success until they neared Christophsis. "Close, we are," Yoda said, moving towards the scanner and pulling the scan wider. "There we must go!"

Tatooine. "That planet is controlled by the Hutts."

"Sense it you can not?" He asked, "Master Obi-Wan, you disappoint me." The elder Jedi closed his eyes, "Clear your mind, "He said, "Feel the Force flow, feel it guide…"

Obi-Wan sighed as he followed the master's instructions.

"Sense what, do you?"

"I sense… something," He said, his brow furrowing as he tried to identify what he was feeling.

"Strong, the feeling is." Yoda opened his eyes soon followed by Obi-Wan. "Go to it, we must."

With a nod of his head, Obi-Wan took the ship's controls once again and set the coordinates before easing back into hyperspace.

* * *

The square just outside of the Senate building was lined with heavily armed stormtroopers blocking the frightened crowed from the large platform that stood just below the statue commemorating the first year of the Empire. Directly behind the platform, stood a large seating structure where key members of the Senate sat, each one rigid as they awaited the end of this morning's event. Padme stood in the Royal box with the Emperor and his advisors. Four Red Guards flanked the precession, their expressionless masks sending a small chill down her spine from their imposing figures. Vader placed his hand on her back as they waited for the time to start. Dressed in an his Imperial dress uniform, he held his head high, the black cloak on his shoulders lightly whipping in the breeze. She tried to relax under his touch, but knowing what was about to happen, she couldn't.

hesitantly, she glanced back at the senate seating. She scanned the stands until her eyes landed on the senator of Alderaan. Bail was visibly angered by what was to happen, and she shared in his feelings of hopelessness. His eyes met hers and he bit his cheek as he nodded in solidarity towards her. She gave him a small sympathetic smile as she turned back to the platform.

"What's wrong?" Vader asked, his hand running soothingly up and down her back. His head turned towards the senators, wondering if it was them who upset her.

Padme shook her head and placed a hand to the black tunic he wore, pretending to adjust the Royal Imperial emblem embroidered into the fabric. "It's nothing, she said, turning head just in time to see the precession of prisoners approaching. Vader's eyes narrowed as the troop climbed the steps and without a word, his hand dropped as he moved to step into the center of the platform.

The crowd immediately grew silent and the prisoners froze in their trek, clearly aware that they were going to die. Vader's eyes narrowed as he turned to address the crowd. "Yesterday, we were informed that there was a traitor in our midst." Murmurs rose from the crowd, but Vader continued speaking, "In light of the great threat this individual poses, it has become necessary to take action to ensure that no one puts the security and prosperity of the Empire and its people at risk." Vader waved his hand and a squad of troopers wearing black armor stepped up onto the platform, each one grabbing a prisoner by the arm and bringing them to the front edge of the platform. Vader moved to stand to the side, letting the troopers and prisoners take the full attention of the crowd. The troopers pushed the prisoners down to their knees and stepped back, their rifles clicking as safeties were taken off and they took aim.

Padme wrung her hands as she watched, trying to keep her breath steady as the crowd started to panic. Vader didn't even seem to mind, his eyes locked on the prisoners as they cried and pleaded for one final chance at mercy.

"For the crime of conspiracy, I sentence these people to death." With a swift downward motion of his arm, blaster shots rang out, as cries of shock from the crowd echoed. The stormtroopers closest to the crowd took the safeties off their weapons, prepared for a possible riot, but none came. As quickly as the stormtroopers clicked their rifles, cheers reverberated through the crowd, giving praise to the Empire, proclaiming the heir a hero and Vader drank it all in. He glanced back at Padme and smiled proudly at her and she felt she had no choice but to return it. Stepping back to the center of the platform as the black stormtroopers removed the dead bodies, Vader went to the side steps of the platform and grabbed one last prisoner. Mon Mothma. She was still dressed in her black gown from the previous night, though the fabric was now torn and hair and makeup a mess. He roughly dragged her to the middle of the platform, and kicked her in the back of her knees, forcing her down with a shout of pain.

His lightsaber roared to life as he unclipped it from his belt and moved to stand to the side. "Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila has been found in association with terrorist acts against the Empire. To ensure she and her conspirators do not act or cause harm again, I sentence her to die." Vader gripped his lightsaber with both hands, leveling them by her neck before winding up and bringing his lightsaber down. The red blade cut through her flesh like it was nothing, cauterizing the wound and leaving a distinct burning flesh smell in the air. Once again, cheers rang out as an Imperial Officer picked up the disgraced head of Mon Mothma and held it up for all to see.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bail paced the length of his office as Padme leaned against the desk, her arms wrapped tightly around her body as they both recovered from the morning's execution. "I can't believe you have to leave with that… monster," He growled, referring the the previous night's party. She had seen how much he wanted to step in, to try and divert the young heir's attention away from her, but one warning glance from her had fortunately prevented him from making a mistake. Vader was nothing if not possessive. "Can't you find a reason to leave?"

"I wish I could," She said, "You think I like being in that palace with them? I don't have a choice. And I don't want to know what Vader will do if I refuse him."

"If he touches you—"

"What? What will you do?" She asked, "If you do anything, you'll just guarantee you'll end up like Mon."

He huffed as he ran a hand through his hair. "So, you'll just… let him?"

Padme sighed as she glanced down at the desk. She didn't want to think about that, the thought sent a terrible chill down her spine and left a sour taste in her mouth, "I hope he tires of me before then… but he isn't like that." Time was both her savior and her warden. Time that Vader spent going to lengths to win her affection, meant that it was time she didn't have to spend in his bed, yet at the same time, it was all just a countdown leading up to that very event. She knew this game of his could only last so long before he tired of the chase and simply took what he wanted. True, he seemed to be taking an extra special care to woo her, but that could only be a front— an act he put on that had more to do with her position than any actual care for her.

"I wish I could help—"

"You can, by making sure you stay alive," Padme pushed away from the desk and took his hand in hers. If they lost him too, there was no chance the rebellion would last. Bail was an amazing orator and very well respected. If Bail were to be killed, it was a certainty that most of their prominent supporters and financial backers would pull out. "Losing Mon was a huge blow," She said, "But we have to be careful moving forward if we are to save the galaxy from itself." Bail's eyes closed in thought as he let out a tired sigh, "I'll do what I can while I'm close to them—"

"No!" He cut in, "You will not put your life at risk."

"I've been in worse situations," She argued, "Besides, if I can make some good of my situation, I will."

Bail huffed as he shook his head. "If you're caught, Vader will do more than kill you."

"I know," She said. "But this might give us our only chance to do something."

He clearly wanted to argue with her, but thought better of it. "Alright," He grumbled, "But be careful," He said, emphasizing each word in warning.

She smiled and nodded, pulling away, "Now, we can't stop our work now. The Emperor hopes to push a new military budget plan through the senate. We can't let that happen."

* * *

The twin suns of Tatooine beat down at their hardest at noon. Obi-Wan was not accustomed to the heat, and it showed as sweat perspired on his brow as the two Jedi made their way through the town they had landed in. With no currency, they couldn't afford to rent a hanger and had to park just outside of the town. Jawas had already marked their ship and he was certain they would probably be left with a nonfunctional ship by the time they returned. The desert world was known to be a file home for gangsters, thugs and bounty hunters. They were not fond of newcomers and both could sense the curiosity and suspicion at their arrival.

"We have to be careful," Obi-Wan whispered.

Yoda merely laughed, "Careful?" He said, "Worry not, close, we are." The older Jedi walked through the door of a junk shop, his Gimer stick tapping with each step. A toydarian greeted them in native Tatooine language. "Parts we need not," Yoda said, "Information we seek."

The toydarian narrowed his eyes, "Information?" He said in basic, "Information is valuable here." He said, looking the two of them up and down, "How do you plan to pay for the information?"

Yoda gave a shrug, "A ship, we have. Broken it is. But information we seek, very small." The toydarian thought for a moment before asking what they were looking for. "A name we seek: 'Skywalker'."

* * *

There wasn't too much to do close to the moisture farm. The closest town was Anchorhead where crime was at a record high due to the low stormtrooper numbers stationed there. The Lars family had lived on their plot of land for more than a generation. It was a simple life and one that Cliegg Lars had been proud to pass on to his son Owen when the labors of the work started to take its toll on his aging body. These days, he spent his day in the shade of their underground home with his wife, Shmi. An old leg injury made some tasks hard to do, but every morning, he was happy to go with his wife to pick the wild flowers that grew near one of the vapor collection systems.

Much to both of their surprise however, distant shadows of two figures were making their approach slowly, their shapes visible through the haze of the heat. Cliegg made his way to stand in front of his wife as the strangers neared.

"Who are you?" He called when they were in range. He could make out that one was human, a dirty brown hood pulled over his head. The other had to be alien based on the figure's short stature and green skin.

"Friends, we are," The green one said, "told us, he did, that a Shmi Skywalker was here."

Cliegg aggressively took a step closer to the figures, "Leave." He ordered, "Now."

The human pushed down his hood, his greying hair slicked back from sweat, "We mean no harm," He said, "Please, can we just talk?"

"Cliegg," Shmi called the attention of the three men to her. She hugged the bunch of wildflowers to her chest, "Let's talk to them." Without another word, she turned and started the short trip back home. Her husband was still weary of the strangers, but he didn't question his wife's judgement. reluctantly, he let the strangers follow them back home and let them sit at the table with them. The tension was palpable as they sat, each slightly unsure where to start.

"You were looking for me?" Shmi asked, "Who sent you?"

The human glanced at his friend before looking back at them, "A Toydarian shopkeeper told us where you lived."

Cliegg narrowed his eyes, "Why were you asking about her though?"

"The Force," The smaller one said, "Hope lives on the planet with the second sun."

The Lars looked at them curiously, "Suns?" Cliegg asked.

The green one laughed, "One born at night, the other at rise. Hope lives with the second son."

"Son?" The human one asked, seeming to be just as surprised.

"Son," He confirmed, his voice now taking on the tone of a wise master. "Yoda, my name is," He said, "Know of your son, I do. Wish to meet him, we do."

Cliegg glanced at his wife, "My son is out in the field—"

"Not your son," Yoda said. "The Emperor's son."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Grand feasts in one of the large dining halls of the Imperial Palace were often daily occurrences. Senators, officials, wealthy individuals, and perhaps a luck up-start, often fought for an opportunity to attend such a lavish event, even if they didn't get the Emperor's ear for more than a moment. It was the chance of a lifetime, and yet just as rare as an invitation was, even rarer were the days that the Emperor himself canceled. Speculation would be whispered, of course, but nothing ever came of such whispers. In place of a large formal dinner surrounded by sycophants, and blathering idiots, Palpatine would much rather spend an evening with his son.

Dressed in a simple black suit in the style of the Imperial Navy, Vader enthralled his father with his plans for the coming weeks. He was to spend a little more time on the capital before returning to his duties aboard his Star Destroyer. There was much to be done throughout the Empire. Royal tours, and Military precessions, as well as a few military engagements… Vader was filling his role exactly as he was meant to and striking fear in the hearts of those who wished to see their reign end.

"You have done well, my son," Palpatine said with a curled smile, "how many have been killed so far?"

"Three-thousand," He said, "And the day is not yet done."

"I must confess at first I was rather disappointed to hear Mon Mothma had been taken to prison rather than killed on the spot for her treachery. I'm so glad things worked out for the better."

"I can't take all the credit," Vader said, "It was Senator Amidala's suggestion that gave me the idea."

Palpatine's eyes widened, "Really? I had no idea her distaste for traitors ran so deep."

"Why wouldn't it?" He asked with a shrug.

"It's just that… I've known her since she was a young girl. Smart little thing, yet… naive in some ways. She believes there is value in all life," He said.

"That's ridiculous," Vader scoffed. "If all life has value, then why does the colo claw fish hunt the opee sea killers? Why would institutions like slaver exist? Unless the laws of nature dictated that, in some way, others are meant to be superior to them?"

Palpatine smiled, "I have taught you well," He said. "Perhaps… when you return from your next mission, a little gift will be waiting for you."

Vader's eyes perked at the mention of a gift, "What is it?"

The Emperor clicked his tongue, "Patience. I know that isn't your strong point, but try. I promise it will be worthwhile."

With dinner almost finished and no social obligations keeping him at the table, Vader stood and bowed his head to his father before dismissing himself. As much as he enjoyed talking with his father these days, he much preferred the company of his latest guest. Padme had sent word back to the palace that she would be working late. Jealousy surged through him at the thought of her prioritizing her job over him, but that would soon change. He had plans for while he was away, plans that would leave her anxious for their next meeting when he returned. Vader climbed into his speeder and made for the Senate Office building, eager to escort her home. Traffic swerved out of his way as he flew head-on into on-coming traffic, paying no mind to the angry pilots who blasted their horns at him. A few times police speeders pulled behind him with their sirens blazing, but it only took them a moment to scan his plates before pulling back, leaving him to do as he pleased.

The Senate Guards on the main landing platform were silent as they stood at attention when he passed by them without a word and as he sauntered his way through the halls, he ignored the hurried pleasantries from Senators and Representatives he passed. His first stop was Padme's office where he figured she would be working on some bill or another but instead found the room dark with the only trace of her being a small pile of datacards of research on her desk. Vader frowned, unsure where she could be if not her office. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and stretched his senses out for her. She wasn't too far away. A few offices down… in Senator Organa's office. A predatory growl vibrated in his throat as his eyes blazed open. Turning on his heels, he marched quickly in the direction of the senator.

A pair of Alderanian guards stood watch outside the door. Vader watched as the two men exchanged looks as he reached to open the door and one dared to hold his hand out as if to stop him. Vader's eyes narrowed as he waved his hand, the Force knocking both back and up, flying into the ceiling and the wall behind them. The men fell to the floor with a thud as Vader opened the door to the office. A small gathering was being held. Five Senators sitting in a circle in the middle of a heated debate, which stopped when the door opened. All five pairs of eyes were wide in surprise and he could practically smell the fear oozing out of some of them. Curious. But not the reason he was here.

With an overly calm face pasted on to mask the anger he was feeling, he greeted the beings in the room with a polite bow of his head, "Senators," He greeted, "I'm sorry for the interruption. I was under the impression that Senator Amidala would be returning with me to the Palace." His eyes made contact with hers, "Are you ready to go, Padme?"

The overly familiar address had the desired affect and he could feel the shock from the entire room, including her. Padme's eyes flashed an almost pleading look to Senator Organa before she managed to recover. "Yes, I am," She said, reluctance just barely noticeable in her voice as she gathered her things. "I'm sorry," She told her colleagues, "We'll have to continue this discussion later."

Vader smiled as she joined him at his side and the two left. He made a show as they walked out, his hand on her back, their sides pressed together and he couldn't help but smile at what he was hearing being whispered as they left. 'Vader's new whore'. Part of him liked the sound of that. But another part thought she deserved an even grander title. Perhaps that would be something he would talk to his father about later.

* * *

Despite how hot and humid the climate of Tatooine was, Obi-Wan felt a distinct chill enter the room at the mention of the Emperor's son. His grey eyes bore into the woman across the table from them. She couldn't possibly be Vader's mother. The mother of the heir had died moments after his birth. And yet, as he watched Shmi Skywalker and the way she tensed at the mention of the Emperor and Vader, he wasn't quite so sure about that story. Yoda let out a light chuckle despite the situation and Obi-Wan sent him a warning glance. The elder Jedi's advanced age seemed to have taken a toll on him manners.

"Not Vader, I speak of," He said, his fingers twisting the Gimer stick in his hands, "The other. Home of the second son, this is… sense it, I do." He laughed again.

"My son died," Shmi said. "The Emperor killed him."

Obi-Wan's jaw slackened, "Second son?" He asked, shocked beyond words, and slightly frustrated with Yoda's inability to explain this to him earlier. Every time he'd said 'second sun,' he'd really meant a literal 'second _son_.' The revelation was unexpected. Never had there ever been any mention of another child born to the Emperor.

"A twin, Vader has," Yoda said, "Strong with the Force, both children are. Difficult, two heirs would have been. The Rule of Two, the Sith follow still."

"Which was why the Emperor killed the younger of my sons," Shmi said, her eyes narrowed at them. "I don't want to talk of this anymore," She said, abruptly standing, her seat pushing back with loud _screech_. "I'd like you to leave. Now."

"Dead your son is not," Yoda said, making no move to stand. "Alive, he is. Here, he lives. Sense him, I do."

Obi-Wan kept his eyes on Shmi, gauging her reaction to the Jedi's words. Her signature rippled in agitation at the line of questioning. He sensed anger and frustration directed at Yoda but underneath he could also sense a fleeting fear. Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he stretched his senses farther. Yoda was right. Faintly he could sense the presence of another masked by a protective shield that seemed to encompass Shmi as well. "Shmi," he started, "Please… is your son truly here?" She shared a brief glance with her husband before her gaze dropped to the floor and she game a small nod.

Two. The Emperor truly had two sons… The Jedi looked to Yoda, "How… how are there two of them? I thought—"

"After Vader was born," Shmi started, "they took him from me and everyone who had been attending me left with him," She said. "I had done my part. They didn't care what happened after. But once they left, I still felt contractions. Fifteen minutes later, Anakin was born." Shmi met their eyes as she spoke. "I knew what would happen to him if I stayed. So, with what strength I had, I took him and ran. I was exhausted, and I nearly died from the loss of blood… but, everyone was distracted with all the commotion around Vader. It was the first time since I became pregnant that I wasn't being watched. I was able to leave through one of the secret passages in the palace. And from there, I got to a space port, and got on the first ship to the Outer Rim."

Obi-Wan could not help but be impressed by her courage, and smiled while giving her a respectful nod of his head.

"Train him, we must," Yoda tapped his Gimer stick on the seat of his chair.

Her eyes burned in anger at the Jedi, "He's been through enough," She said. "Please. Leave us in peace. We want no part in your Rebellion."

"We have no part in the Rebellion," Obi-Wan said, standing from his seat, "And I do understand how you feel—"

"Do you? You Jedi have been raised since birth to do what you do. All I want is for my son to be happy."

"And what of your other son?" He asked, "What about Vader?"

Her eyes dropped as a tear trailed down her cheek, "His father has poisoned his mind. It kills me to see what he had been made into."

His hand came to rest on her shoulder, "So, you know what he is capable of. When Vader succeeds his father, the Galaxy will be in great danger."

"He is still my son."

Yoda shook his head, "No," He said, "The boy you birthed, gone, he is. Twisted by the Dark Side, your son has become. Strong, your second son is. Save the galaxy he will."

Her fists clenched as she looked out to the courtyard of the home. "You won't think that if you meet him," She said.

"We'll be the judge of that," He said. Shmi shook her head as she let out a heavy sigh. Obi-Wan reached out and touched her hand empathetically, "If there is a chance your second son might be able to restore peace and order to the galaxy, isn't that worth a chance?" He asked.

"You don't know what he's been through," She said. "I had nothing when I came here. Nothing. Do you know what happens to people like that?" She asked, her eyes welled with tears as she spoke, "They get sold," She said. "We were sold. Made someone's slaves… I didn't buy our freedom just to see him be made a slave again."

His brow creased as he bit the side of his lip, Shmi had a very strong will, and her points were not so invalid. But Yoda was certain about this boy and he himself could sense the potential in what traces of the boy's presence was leaking through the shield. "Can we just talk to him?" He asked, "Give him an opportunity to chose?"

It took her a moment to think about it before she game a small nod. Her husband came to her side and gave her hand a supportive squeeze. The two shared a silent look between one another, the love they had for one another evident even without the Force. Cliegg gave the Jedi a respectful nod of his head before dismissing himself to contact his own son and let him know what is happening while Shmi led the two Jedi to the other side of the home. Across the open crater pit that connected the home's underground rooms, Shmi led them to a small alcove on the far side of the pit. Two doors sat opposite one another, one leading to what looked like a cluttered workspace, littered with broken parts and a large tarp covering an old speeder. The other set of doors opposite, were closed. Shmi knocked twice, "Ani?" She called, waiting for a response. When she received none, she opened the door and called again. Obi-Wan peered over her shoulder, and noticed the room was in fact a bedroom. Directly across from the door was a bed next to which sat a small table with a series of breathing masks hanging on the wall as well as an assortment of medicines sitting high on a shelf. In the far corner was a desk which, like the workspace in the other room, was littered with parts and tools. A young man sat in the stool at the desk, a laser cutter in his hand as he fiddled with the wiring on a rust-covered droid. "Ani, there's someone to see you," Shmi said, taking a step to the side to let the two Jedi pass.

The young man looked up from his work and turned to face them. Obi-Wan's eyes widened at the face that greeted them. Despite being no older than twenty-two, his face was scared worse than even the most battle-hardened soldiers he'd seen. Old burns seemed to cover every inch of visible flesh from the deep gash that ran the length of his bald head, and most likely defended down what was left of his limbs since it was obvious all four of his limbs were prosthetics. A transparent respirator covered his mouth and the low airy sound of mechanized breathing was just barely audible in the room. Obi-Wan cleared his throat and gave a polite bow, "Hello, I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is Master Yoda," He started.

"I'm Anakin," the young man said. "Why are you here?" His intense blue eyes observed them keenly as they stepped further into the room.

Yoda closed his eyes as he closed the distance between himself and Anakin. "Strong in your family, the Force is," He said, "But dark… Fear, I sense in you, but also kindness." His eyes opened as he smiled at Anakin. "Painful are your scars?"

Subconsciously, the young man wrapped an arm around himself, gripping the opposite arm as if trying to hide what they could not see.

"May we ask what happened?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice low and empathetic.

Anakin swallowed as he turned back to his droid. "I… I was in a crash," He said. Boonta Eve Classic about thirteen years ago." He started, "I lost power to one of my engines and spun out of control."

"He was trying to buy our freedom," Shmi added. "If we won, Watto was going to give us our freedom in exchange for the winnings and whatever we sold the pod racer for."

"I don't even know how it happened," He continued, "I tested that pod just before the race. I spent months perfecting the design. I tried to reattach and redistribute power when it happened but…"

"Sensed the danger, you did," Yoda said. "Alive you are, save you, your senses did."

"I don't think so," He said. "When it happened I just… jumped."

"Guide you, the Force did. Tell you of danger, it did. A good skill to have, a skill a Jedi must perfect."

Anakin's eyes narrowed, "Jedi?"

"The Force is strong in you, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, "We believe that with the proper training, you could become a great Jedi."

"The Empire wiped out the Jedi."

"Not all," He argued, "So long as there is but one Jedi, there is still hope. Yoda and I won't be around forever. If peace is to be restored to the galaxy one day, then our ideals and philosophies need to survive. And we believe that through you, that might be possible." Anakin's eyes narrowed as he looked at them. He could sense the confusion from the young man, and he wondered how much his mother had actually told him. "What do you know of your father?" Obi-Wan asked with a sigh.

"He's a moisture—"

"I mean your biological father."

He remained silent as he glanced towards his mother. Shmi closed her eyes as she let out a breath, "Nothing," She said.

The conversation between Shmi and her son had quickly gotten intense. There was obvious hurt from the lies, but also shock from the truth of his parentage. Obi-Wan and Yoda had left the two of them to talk for a little, giving them some privacy as they talked about deeply personal things that they had no business in. Obi-Wan had helped himself to some blue milk in the kitchen while Yoda meditated in the corner. Both of them could sense the emotions coming from the others in Anakin's room. The intensity of the boy's anger was surprising, but in a way, understandable given the circumstances and having not been raised and trained to feed on such feelings, there was potential to teach him how to control those feelings, that is, if he agreed to be trained.

It had been close to half an hour by the time the emotions seemed to calm down and Anakin walked into the kitchen. His brow was creased as he stood in the archway and made eye contact with the Jedi. "You want to kill my father." He said, "And you want me to do it."

"We want peace," Obi-Wan amended. "We want balance and to restore order to the galaxy."

"By killing my father," He said, "And my twin brother."

"A threat, both are," Yoda said, "Heard of their exploits, you have."

"Of course," Anakin said with a heavy sigh as he took a seat at the table, "But I don't know how you expect me to do any of that when…" He looked down at himself, his meaning quite clear from how he looked at his prosthetics and the respirator on his face.

Obi-Wan walked over to where he sat and placed a supporting arm on his shoulder, "I have an idea," He said.

* * *

"Where is the Rebel base?"

The lights in the interrogation room were dim, lit only by a small light in the ceiling and the glow of Vader's lightsaber as he twirled it in his hands. The military precession on Mandalore had been interrupted by an attempted terrorist attack. One of the military floats had been rigged to explode and the driver of said float had been reported as acting strange prior to the launch of the parade. Now, with the parade over and the bomb dismantled, the driver stood, strapped to a standing table, his face bruised and bloody and his clothes a tattered mess. Vader sighed as the man refused to answer yet again. Stepping closer to him, he brought his lightsaber dangerously close to the man's finger. He yelped as the skin of his finger started to burn, the flesh cauterizing before it could bleed. "Where is the Rebel base?" He asked again, bringing it close enough that the blade hissed as it made full contact with the man's skin.

He screamed as he banged his head against the metal of the table, "I-I don't know!" He cried.

"I don't believe you!" Vader returned, stepping back once again. "It was your float that was equipped with a bomb!" He said, pointing an accusing finger at him, "Who told you to set it?"

"No one! I didn't do anything!"

"Liar!" Vader lunged at him, his fingers wrapping tightly around the man's throat until he started to gag, "Give me a name," He said, "Give me the name of the planet your Rebels are based. Give me the name of the person who told you to set the bomb."

His eyes started to roll back as he let out a strangled sound, "D-et…Watch."

Vader released his hold on the throat and moved to the jaw, "What?"

"Death Watch!" He cried, "It was all Death Watch! There'd been rumors since before the Empire that they weren't happy about the way Mandalore was being run. I guess they figured you being here was as good a chance as any to send a message."

With a snap hiss, the red glow of the lightsaber faded as he returned the blade to his belt, "Interesting…" He remarked. "Death Watch means to send a message to me… Well, I don't think they'll like the answer." Vader looked back to the door to the room and called the captain of the 501st in. The Storm Trooper saluted as he entered, "Put the city on lockdown," He said, "No one goes in or out until we find this Death Watch. Enter everyone's homes. Anyone hiding a suspicious person is to be considered a threat and is to be locked up until the full extent of their betrayal is discovered." The clone nodded, taking his orders intent on following them to the letter. "As for you," He said, directing the conversation back to the traitor already in his midst, "I'm concerned you might either be lying or hiding something else. We aren't done until I decide which."

"I-I've told you all I know!" He cried, "I swear!"

Vader let out a small hiss, "I don't believe you."

* * *

In the early days of the Empire, it had been easy for Palpatine to declare his enemies and get rid of them either by legal means or even secretly. The Kaminoans, who had provided the clone army that was the serve the Empire, had been a loose end that needed to be tied off quickly. Lama Su, who had once served as the Prime Minister of the main cloning facility, had been quickly named an enemy and replaced by a loyal bureaucrat held firmly under the Emperor's thumb. What few beings knew however, was that Lama Su had simply gone into hiding. His location was not well known, but Obi-Wan had kept tabs on a few key individuals over the years should they be useful. Lama Su's knowledge of the clone army was something he figured might be advantageous and for the current situation, his knowledge on cloning and regeneration was key to the success of the Jedi's plan.

Reaching Kamino had been no challenge at all. But getting onto the surface and past the military defenses around the planet would be. Star Destroyers orbited the planet, each one with at least ten squads of TIE fighters patrolling the nearby space. Obi-Wan dropped their small ship out of hyperspace just out of range of proximity sensors and killed the power, letting forward momentum carry them past a nearby asteroid field. Using the Force, the two Jedi directed a large space rock close enough to them that they could latch the landing gear of their borrowed ship onto it. Anakin watched from the back seat in mild fascination as they closed in on the Star Destroyers. The asteroid was large enough to not warrant any concern from the ships, so long as they didn't pass too close.

It took some time for them to drift close enough to the planet for gravity to take hold of them. With a jolt, the rock and their ship were pulled by the planet, forcing them to speed up. Faster and faster they descended, the temperature of the ship rising as red streaks flared past the viewports. As the ship started to get too hot, Obi-Wan gunned the engines, restoring power, he veered the ship sharply in the direction of a secret facility far from where the Empire's hold is strongest.

A small landing platform jut out just above the waves, lit only by a small ring of lights. The ship landed softly before the platform was quickly hidden away by a domed roof rising over and sealing them inside before waves crashed over it, hiding them under the waves. The three travelers disembarked from the ship, and made their way to the small lift on the edge of the platform that would take them even further down.

Anakin looked around the water planet in amazement. Never in his life had he seen so much water. He turned slowly around as he followed the two Jedi, though lagging behind. They took the lift down to the very base of the facility where they were greeted by the tall slender figure of Lama Su. He gave an elegant bow which the three returned.

"Greetings, Master Jedi. I'm glad you were able to find us." He said. "Your message was rather… unexpected and I must confess we aren't quite sure what your particular request entails."

"I apologize for not being more specific," He started, "But we didn't want to risk it being intercepted." Obi-Wan reached over and took Anakin by the shoulder, giving him a gentle nudge forward, "He's the reason we need your particular skills," He said.

Lama Su's large eyes widened as he looked at the young man, "I see…" His head craned over him as he looked at his appearance, taking in the visual damage to the skin. "Reconstruction of flesh is fairly easy," He said, "Though, the limbs and internal functions are slightly more complex. What is the extent of internal damage?"

Anakin gave a small shrug, "Burns in the respiratory system, irregular sinus rhythm, and damage to the left kidney and liver."

The Kaminoan nodded as he looked back to the Jedi. "Can you help?" Obi-Wan asked.

Lama Su made a low noise in his throat, "It won't be easy," He said, "We do not have the same high standard equipment as they use in the cloning facility. But, it isn't impossible." He waved out his hand from his side in a silent bid to follow him. Slowly they walked down the stark white hallways and rounded overpasses that connected the main building to the secondary building. Through the windows the ripples of the water above could be made out and fishes and sea life drifted past, gliding through the water with ease. Lama Su led them to small medical ward, headed by a Kaminoan doctor who greeted them with a similar elegant bow.

"Before we begin anything," Lama Su started, "We need to see for ourselves the full extent of internal and external damage. If you would…" He gestured to the high medical table in the middle of the room.

Anakin swallowed as he stared at it, feeling uneasy. Obi-Wan gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, "We'll just be outside," He said, "But, if you don't want to do this, we can still back out."

Anakin shook his head and entered the room. Regardless of what was going to happen, this was a chance. A chance for him to have a normal life. To breathe without the aid of a machine. To look human again. He still remembered the accident and the pain he'd felt in the immediate aftermath and continued to feel for years after. This would be nothing compared to that. Taking a deep breath, he entered the room and allowed the door to shut behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Shorter chapter than I originally planned, but I felt like this was a good way to end this chapter.**

Chapter 5

It had been a week since Vader left on his mission. One glorious week without the attention of the Empire's heir watching her every move. Of course, he'd left a squad of storm troopers to watch her and escort her back to the palace when her work in the Senate concluded, but at least they weren't looking at her the way Vader did. Like clockwork, they always appeared at her office door promptly at five-thirty and wordlessly escorted her back to her room in the palace. But, after that, she was left to her own devices. Her door was left unguarded and, for the most part, there was only a handful of guards and officers roaming around the living space of the Imperial family. Padme had spent the first few days watching their movements, learning their schedules, and rotation pattern. She knew that this week was a huge chance for her to gather intel on Vader. He wasn't home and thus, the perfect opportunity to try and see what secrets he had hidden away.

On the fifth day, she was confident she had a timeframe that would work. She hadn't told Bail what she was going to do. She knew he'd try yet again to talk her out of it. But Padme knew that if she could find even one piece of useful information, it would all be worth the risk. And so, a few hours after the storm troopers left her in her room, Padme made her move. She first left for the kitchens as she had made her routine. She took a lift down to the service levels and passed a guard on the way as she always did and the kitchens were mostly empty other than the one dish washing droid. She wasn't too hungry and she needed to maximize the time she had this evening so she simply grabbed a shurra fruit and made her way towards the service lift to take her back up to the floor the Imperial family resides on.

Guards on the level were few and rotations always happened in shifts. Padme held her head high and confidently as she walked calmly down the hall towards Vader's room, passing a pair of troopers retiring to the barracks before rounding the corner and staring at the unguarded room where she hoped to find some Imperial secret that could help undo the strong hold Palpatine and his ilk had on the galaxy. Slowly she placed her hand on the pad next to the door. With a click, the lock disengaged and the door opened with a silent hum and as quickly as she could, Padme ducked inside, letting the door close behind her.

Lights slowly illuminated the room as she turned and looked around. Stark and militant, there was barely a single thing out of place. The bed was made and the sheets were tucked tightly over the mattress, the bedside table had a small stack of holobooks organized in order of size. A small workbench sat against the wall, the tools all put away and the project sitting on the table had a diagram next to it with detailed notes. In the corner sat a desk with a console on top and a small stack of data cards. Padme approached the desk and looked through the pile. Most of it looked like training reports, official correspondence from dignitaries, and some quickly jotted down reminders. She was careful as she looked through the desk, making sure she didn't miss anything and that she left things where she found them. Just from the organization, she knew that Vader would not be someone to miss if something is even an inch out of place.

The bottom drawer of the desk had an odd feature about it. It looked as though a small piece of the bottom was made of a different metal than the rest of it. Padme frowned as she ran her finger over where the two colors met and felt the distinct seam as the piece dipped. Pressing on it slightly harder released a light clicking sound and as she pulled her hand away the metal piece popped up enough that she could lift it. One glance at the chono had her eyes widen. She had maybe fifteen minutes before her absence from her room might be considered odd. Lifting the piece away revealed a small hidden compartment in the drawer. Inside was an old news report from Tatooine with a headline that read 'Pod Racer Accident Left Crippled.'

Padme muttered a curse under her breath as she returned the report to its place and made sure nothing in the room left any trace of her visit. nothing. She found nothing. Whatever secrets the Empire was keeping, clearly they weren't kept in Vader's room. She might find something in the Emperor's room, but he was perhaps even more dangerous that Vader. She had to rethink her plans. But not here. As quickly and as calmly as she could, she left the room and started the walk back to her room more than ready to retire for the night.

* * *

The incident on Mandalore had left a sour taste in Vader's mouth. News of the attempted attack had been quick to circulate and unfortunately, it had reached Coruscant long before Vader had regained control of the situation. His father was not happy. The very idea that someone had even attempted an attack on the life of the heir to the Empire was an affront to everything Palpatine had built and Vader had taken too much time to find the perpetrator. Believing him incapable of handling the situation any longer, The Emperor ordered his immediate return to the capital. His return had been quiet, lacking any of the fanfare or pomp that often followed them everywhere. It only showed how angry his father was.

Mute Red Guards led the Imperial heir to the Emperor's private office. Gone were the assistants and advisors that aided in the political functions of the Empire. Instead, he sat alone at the desk, reading over late reports in the dark with only a small desk light illuminating the room. Vader approached the desk slowly while the Red Guards took positions at the door. With his head bowed, Vader knelt, resting his hands on his knees.

"Tell me what you've found," The Emperor ordered, his eyes never leaving the report he was reading.

"The driver was coerced into placing the bomb," Vader said, "Death Watch is behind it. They seem to have a cell within the capital."

"How did that come to be?" Palpatine asked.

"I don't know. That's what I was trying to find out when I was summoned back."

The Emperor scoffed, "You need to find out? The answer is right in front of you!" He said, "They don't fear us like they used to. We've given Mandalore too much power. Allowing them to keep their Prime Minister, not placing our own people in power… we've made them a liability not a subject."

Vader lowered his head, "I understand. What are we to do about it now?" In his head, he started to run through plans to eradicate threats and if that meant going door to door to find the members of Death Watch, he would.

"We?" Palpatine scoffed, "You will do nothing. _I_, on the other hand, will take action against this attack." Slowly, he rose from his seat and rounded his desk towards the window. "I will use this event to change the tides of my Empire," He said. Vader's brow furrowed and he slowly rose from his knee and joined his father at the window. "An attack on my blood cannot be tolerated. Swift action must be taken. Action that will be carried out by the Grand Admiral."

"Grand Admiral?" Vader asked. He was not aware of any such rank. He alone stood as the supreme commander of the Navy and the sudden promotion of some bureaucrat snot-nosed kid did not appeal to him at all.

"Yes," Palpatine smiled. "Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo— Thrawn, if you'd prefer. He is now in charge of the Navy."

"What?"

"You have played the soldier long enough," He said, rounding on him, "And attacks on our fleets have increased as well as the number of stories and rumors of discontent among the citizens. I don't need a full blown war. Thrawn will crush our enemies without anyone knowing. He will restore order where you have chaos fester."

Vader narrowed his eyes, "You can't take the Navy from me." He growled.

"I can and I have. You will have to live with it."

The room rattled as the Force surged through him, anger fueled him as his lightsaber flew into his hand and drew it in a sharp arch down onto his father. But Palpatine saw it coming. Red met red as the two lightsabers clashed. The Emperor laughed as he used his off hand and fired electricity into him, launching him back. "You think you can beat _me_?" He asked. Vader let out a grunt as he rose to his feet. With a growl he launched into a tirade of vicious wild strikes, his master easily blocking his attacks as he backpedaled. "I taught you everything you know!" Palpatine disengaged one of his blows and drew back his blade sharply before thrusting it forward. Vader barely side-stepped out of the way, the front of his tunic singeing. "And you dare to strike me?" Palpatine pushed him back, Sith lightning surging from his fingertips and striking Vader squarely in the chest. The attack never let up as he roared in pain, Vader curling in on himself. "You are weak," The Emperor hissed, "Pathetic. Perhaps I made a mistake keeping you instead of your twin." Vader's eyes shot open as he looked up at his father. "You think I didn't know?" He laughed. "Of course I knew. Out of the two of you, you were stronger. I thought I could raise you to be a pure Sith— someone worthy of being my equal. I see now that I was wrong." His lips curled into a smile as he cackled, "Perhaps your brother is more deserving of calling himself Sith."

Vader's fists clenched as he braced against the pain of the lightning striking him. He knew that Palpatine was going to kill him. But he had no intentions of letting him succeed. With what strength he had left, Vader called his lightsaber to his hand and with a roar, he used the Force to propel him in the direction of his father, striking him through the abdomen with enough force that it sent them both crashing into the window. The glass shattered from the impact, sending them both out the window. Vader reached out and caught hold of the edge of the window, hanging precariously, he took one glance down and watched as his father's body quickly fell, fading from his vision as it raced to the ground.

His body ached, and the lingering effects of Sith lightning rippled through his system as Vader slowly pulled himself up. The two Red Guards in the room had left their post by the door and stood in the center of the room, staring blankly at him as he panted to catch his breath. Palpatine was dead. He took one last look out the window as if expecting his father to appear there to strike him down but nothing happened. Palpatine was dead. Vader turned to the guards once more, "The Emperor is dead," He said and wordlessly, the guards lowered their staves to the ground and knelt before him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Been some time since I've updated this story. I'm trying to get myself to finish some of the things I haven't touched in some time and so far I've had a lot of luck... hopefully that continues. I'm done with all my lectures this year so I'm hoping I'll have more time to write now. Hope you all enjoy this update!**

**Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 6

Pain. The first thing he became aware of was the distinct pain he felt radiating through his body. Anakin was used to pain. The burns from that horrible crash had ensured that he lived in near constant pain all the time. He did have topical medications that would ease the pain temporarily and he regularly received treatment in a bacta tank to ensure that the harsh desert conditions didn't cause infection or develop some kind of cancer, but everything still hurt. And yet, this time was distinctly different. For the pain he felt, was dull. Perhaps that was simply the medication because he was still a bit drowsy, but deep down he knew it was something else. "Anakin?" He heard his name echo in his head as he felt his eyes twitch. "Anakin," The voice called again, this time more clearly. And then he felt it. A light touch to his shoulder, and slowly he pried his eyes open. White blinded his vision for a moment as he blinked rapidly to regain focus. Laying on a medical bed, he could make out the silvery face of the Kaminoan doctor who he had met what felt like moments ago, but from the different clothes he was wearing, he assumed it must have been much longer than that. At his side, was the Jedi. Obi-Wan smiled at him as he shook his head in disbelief. "I can hardly believe it," He whispered, reaching behind him and passing him a mirror.

Anakin took the mirror and for the first time noticed the smooth and clear flesh that reached out for the mirror. Gone were his prothesis, replaced by real, warm and feeling human hands— his hands. They shook as they gripped the handle of the mirror and slowly turned it around to face him. For a moment he was afraid that he would see the same scared face he had grown accustomed to seeing everyday. And if that were the case, how would he feel? The hope he had felt for living a normal life, faded as doubt seeped in. Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder once more and nodded for him to look. Anakin let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and turned it around, gasping at the face that looked back. The scars were gone, and atop his head a fresh crop of blond hair had already started to grow, only a small dusting, but enough to bring an amused laugh when he reached up and actually felt each individual sprout scratch along his palm. A dream. This is what he had dreamed of for so long, and he had the Jedi to thank for it.

"Let's try and sit you up," The Kaminoan said, moving around to help gently ease him up into a sitting position. Under the thin medical sheet he felt his toes scrape along the blanket, and unable to resist, he threw it off to look down at his toes. Anakin grinned widely as he wiggled his toes, holding his arms out as if to make sure his hands were still there.

"I can't believe it," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded, but his expression dropped as he glanced over his shoulder. As he turned back, his face seemed more grim. "You… you look exactly like your brother," He murmured.

"Yeah…" He said, his smile dropping as well. His brother. His twin… he was still getting used the the idea. Add to that, from what he knew of him, their lives were polar opposites. Where he had grown up to be a prince, and trained to be a vicious enforcer of the Empire, Anakin had been a slave and then a simple farmer's son. The very idea that they shared the same blood seemed impossible.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat beside him, and clasped his hands in front of him. "You must know, it wasn't my intention to rush this," He said, looking to the doctor, "But we've been left little choice."

His brow furrowed at the Jedi, "What are you talking about?"

The Kaminoan doctor stepped into his line of sight, speaking with a slow and clear articulation, "It was my hope to keep you under sedation while you recovered," He answered, "Waking you up this early was not advisable. But, it appears our timeline has advanced much sooner than anticipated."

Obi-Wan handed him a tablet open to a news article from four days ago. "Vader is now the Emperor," He said. "Time is not a luxury we have any longer."

The tablet fell from his grip as he gripped the fabric of his medical gown. The Emperor is dead. His father… surprisingly, part of Anakin is sad to know that he will never know his father. But another, larger part is relieved. It means he has one less person to trick, and from what he understood about the Emperor, he would have been one of the hardest to fool. And yet, that still left Vader. His twin had spent his entire life training, fighting, making a name for himself… how was he supposed to face a skilled warrior like that? What did the Jedi expect him to do? Ask nicely? No, it was clear they wanted him to fight him. But, would he even stand a chance?

"We need an answer now," Obi-Wan said. "We need to know if you're willing to bring an end to the Empire for good."

Anakin swallowed and shook his head, "I don't know…" He murmured, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Destroy from the inside, you will," Yoda slowly entered the room, his Gimer stick tapping along the floor as he walked. "Convince the galaxy you will, that Vader, you are."

"And what of the real Vader?" He asked.

"Leave him to us," Obi-Wan said. "We will teach you all you need to know about court life. And when the time comes, we will switch you with Vader."

He didn't know what to say. It all seemed so risky, so dangerous. One misstep, and he would be arrested or worse. The one benefit there was, was that The Emperor was already dead and so he wouldn't have to face him at least. But everything else was still daunting on its own. And yet, if he was successful, then the Empire would be no more… Anakin sighed as he gave one barely noticeable nod. He wasn't sure if he could do any of this. But he was willing to try. "Alright."

* * *

The gardens of the Imperial Palace were the most beautiful in all the capital. The massive area was landscaped perfectly, with exotic plants from across the Empire. It was a popular spot for honored guests to peruse when state visits or balls were held. Everyone who visited said it was the most beautiful spot of green on the entire planet, though Vader didn't see the appeal. He seldom set foot in the gardens, his duties often keeping him far from the capital and his appreciation for natural beauty non-existent. But, Padme seemed to like them. Her home world of Naboo was hailed as one of the most beautiful of the Mid-Rim worlds and so it seemed fitting that she would be drawn to the part of the garden which hosted some of the natural plants native to her lush green of tall grass was accompanied by the bright yellows of wildflowers that grew in the lake country. Along side a carefully curated arrangement of rare breeds of roses and daffodils found only in the gardens of Theed.

Vader had watched her from the balcony overlooking the gardens only just the other day. His guards had informed him that this was where she was most likely found when she would return from the Senate. He watched her as she stepped off the stone path to sit on one of the stone benches, her head craned back as she seemed to be smelling the air. A smile tugged at his lips as he trailed his eyes down her elegant neck before trailing up to watch as the light breeze tugged at her loosened hair. The past few days had been stressful for everyone. With the death of his father, and the rush to seize power from those who would try to take what was rightfully his, he'd had little time to think of much else. He imagined the same must be true for her as the Senate wrapped itself in the chaos of reestablishing and forming new alliances in the wake of the power shift. He imagined little else filled her mind as it did with him. But for him, late at night, he found small moments between all of his appointments and official duties that had to take place before the official coronation, moments where other plans started to form.

He smiled, feeling the presence of the small velvet box in his pocket which bore the seeds of those plans which he knew in time would grow to bear the fruit of everything he envisioned for the future. A dynasty, resplendent and magnificent. A new Sith Empire far grander and more powerful than his father could have ever dreamed of. And he knew Padme had a role to play in that vision. He checked the chrono on his wrist once more as he counted down the time it would take for Padme to return to the Palace. His calculations put the Senate at a ten minute speeder ride— five if he was flying— and then another ten minutes to walk to the gardens and through them to the Naboo section. It had been fifteen minutes and so he knew it would not be much longer. No sooner had his made his calculations did he sense her presence as she entered the gardens. Three minutes. He smiled as he tracked her and the guards with the Force as they slowly made their way to him. Turning around, he clasped his hands in front of him as he waited on the path for him. He could hear them. His lips curled into a smile as he saw them round the corner.

With a wave of his hand, the guards turned and left them. Padme wore the deep maroon dress he had purchased for her. The time of mourning had passed, and many now wore the colors of the Empire in celebration of the previous Emperor's legacy and the hope for a bright future for the Empire. The lace fabric of the dress gave only small hints to what lay beneath, while not diminishing the strong and commanding way she carried herself. The fabric gracefully led from her shoulders into a cape made of a denser fabric encrusted with the emblem of the Empire.

"You look lovely," Vader said, nod hiding the way his eyes trailed over her figure.

"Your Majesty," She greeted, bowing her head in a courtly manner to show her respect. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you my condolences for your father," She said as she raised her head. "He was… a trusted mentor. And well-respected."

Vader waved off her comment, "My father was a tyrant," He said, watching her eyes widen in surprise. Had anyone else said it, it would be grounds for treason. "Everything he did, he did for his own benefit. He may have been my father, and he may have been my Emperor, but that doesn't mean he was good at being either." Padme opened her mouth, seeming to want to understand why he said what he said, but that was not why he had asked her here. "I didn't bring you here to talk politics," He said, beckoning her to walk with him. She didn't seem too happy about the sudden change of topics, but there would be other times where they could talk about work. This was not one of them and he had more interesting things he wanted to discuss with her. He held his hands behind his back, pretending to look at the garden, but keeping his senses tuned in to her. "I have no plans to be like my father," He said, deciding to add a little to his previous comment. "I want my Empire to flourish in the ways Palpatine failed to do. Many in the Senate doubt I am capable though."

"I'm sure in time they will learn," Padme said. "Once they know who you are and what you want, they will quickly find their place within the new order."

He smiled as he nodded in agreement. They were now close to where the wildflowers from the lake country were planted, he planned his next words carefully as he slowed his pace to make sure they did not pass beyond the wildflowers. "Yes, I'm sure they will. It will take time, but, they will soon learn to see who I am beyond my service record… Like you have." Padme stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowed in confusion as he turned to face her. He could sense her confusion, but he merely smiled at her. "I think it's well known what happens with the women who normally stay with me in the Imperial Palace," He started. "I never take time to… do much with them beyond… the obvious," He chuckled. "But, that's not what it is with you. You're… special." He swallowed as he casually tucked his hand into his pocket, hoping she missed the movement and felt the small box he stored there, his fingers wrapping around it. "I've had visions. Visions of the future. And in them, I see you. I see you on an ebony throne with a crown on your head. I know what that means." Pulling his hand from his pocket, he held up the small box for her to see. With his thumb, he flicked open the top to reveal a ring with a black diamond mounted in the middle flanked by two dark rubies. "Marry me," He said. "An Emperor needs an Empress. Marry me, and together we will rule this galaxy."


End file.
